Canada Falcons: All but those hatched in Rochester

[MAK]

  To watchers everywhere! 

[Donna]

To watchers everywhere! 

AMEN MAK and your one of them!! Without you all, we'd know zip and many Falcons would have perished! Because of watcher's, many Falcons have survived.  A big THANK YOU to you all!! 

[margaret]

To watchers everywhere! 

AMEN MAK and your one of them!! Without you all, we'd know zip and many Falcons would have perished! Because of watcher's, many Falcons have survived.  A big THANK YOU to you all!! 

    I SECOND THAT EMOTION!    You watchers out in the field - here  and in Buffalo and in Toronto and all over...WOW.  You keep on going.   Thank you. 

[Donna]

Still all good here so far
June 22, 2011 - Port Colborne - ADM Mill
Doug Garbutt Reports:

It’s hard to keep tabs on what’s going on here but today I was able to see all 4 falcons (2 young, 2 adults) at the same time, so I know 100%  for sure that both young ones are still alive & active. On my lunch break yesterday I thought I would go up to the 6th floor roof to  try & view the young from a spot below where they hang out. Mom did not like my presense & dive bombed me & came about 5 feet away so I promptly left the area. The adults are always watching the young & taking very good care of them. So far, so good. Let’s hope it continues as we have had bad luck here the last two years. I’ll try to get some pics for my next post.

[Donna]

!!! Lady Gaga fledged
June 23, 2011 - Windsor - Ambassador Bridge
Dennis Patrick Reports:

As Dennis was getting ready to be interviewed by CBC Radio we got a call that Lady Gaga had fledged and was in a fenced in area just walking around. When we got there she was looking tired. Thanks to Bess who witnessed it, Collette and Smurf who kept walking around the fence outside to make sure she was safe. Around 4 P.M. Dennis went inside the fence with a pet carrier and she just walked in it. Then we put her in the shade with a towel over it and spritxed her a few times which she seemed to really enjoy. Around 9 P.M. Kim from the Bridge company came by with a lift to put Dennis and Lady Gaga on the roof of the building across the street. He checked the roof first to make sure there were no animals of any kind up there. We left the site around 10:30 P.M. At 12:30 P.M. we were anxious whether or not she was still on the roof so we drove back there again and sure enough she was on the corner looking very good. Spitfire was standing on the nest box looking around. This morning when we got there she was still on the roof, the Blue Jays were very noisy around the area. Voltaire came in with food for Lady Gaga at 7:20 A.M. Both Lady Gaga and Spitfire were fed will we were there. Last evening we had lots of rain. This morning showers at times. We will keep you updated on these beautiful Peregrines. Also, Dennis has lots of pictures he will be posting soon.
Gwen & Dennis
Site Co-ordinators for CPF

[Donna]

Milton controls all of the air space!
June 21, 2011 - Brampton - Courthouse
CPF Postmaster Reports:

June 21st - 2011
Tuesday brought little action. Truss was seen removing food from the nest site while Milton looked on. Most of the time I spent on site today had Milton watching/guarding the nest from his usual ledge. When Truss was present, she also seemed content to perch near the nest as well. Perhaps the most interesting moment was when a Great Blue Heron was flying low on a direct path over the nest when it noticed Milton and instantaneously made a 90 degree turn Southwest. Unlike the pair at Etobicoke General Hospital, Milton and Truss have not shown the same level of aggression towards other intruders. Gulls, Pigeons and Starlings all seem to fly very close to the nest without many regrets.

!!! Another pair in Ottawa or a failed nest?
June 08, 2011 - Ottawa - Delta Ottawa City Centre
CPF Postmaster Reports:

Hello CPF,

I was able to get a couple of shots of one of the falcons that is a regular at our building. These photos were taken yesterday around 6pm. One or both birds are usually on the building everyday at this time. I am looking to borrow a zoom lens in order to get a better quality shot.
Thanks
Donna

[Donna]

!!! Some recent past history of Kenya
June 22, 2011 - Toronto - King Street
CPF Postmaster Reports:

Yesterday we had an unusual experience. We’ve seen quite a number of falcons from our windows since moving here in 1983. On Tuesday, June 21, 2011, about 6:45 a.m. I saw a falcon on the roof of the office building (26 Wellington St. East) adjoining ours. It became apparent that this is a new bird this spring – he still has soft white feathers of the newborn – and that he is learning to fly. Every once in a while he peers down to the ground, then flaps huge wings as he hops along the edge, back and forth. Occasionally he stops this routine and just rests a while. You know, it is quite a drop to the ground if he can’t stay afloat in the air.
We went out about 11 a.m. to the blood lab for my blood test and then had lunch in the cafe in our building. We returned to our apartment about 1:10 p.m. to find the bird still on the roof, with the same old routine. He looked to be scared to death.
We phoned Polly to get information about falcon watches. She called the Peregrine Foundation. The bird has a red band on his right leg (every once in a while he’d seem to try to tug it off). He remained on the roof until about 8:30 p.m. when he took off with a great flap of wings. He circled around in great swoops and landed on the roof of the St. Lawrence Theatre. He stays there for about half an hour and then disappears in the twilight. At one point in the evening one of his parents circles high above and then swoops down almost hitting his head – then disappears. A member of the Foundation says the parent is attempting to give the youngster guidance on how to return to the nest, a few blocks away. The bird had no food or water for about 14 hours, but finally he finds the courage to fly. We felt like cheering!
This morning we learn from the Foundation that he has been rescued (netted, actually) in the alley behind the Spaghetti Factory restaurant and was returned to his nest about 10:30 last night. Perhaps in the coming months and years he’ll come around to see us again. His red band will be a clue that he’s the chap who gave us many anxious moments one day. Incidentally, he has a name. It’s Kenya.

!!! Kenya still not seen, misidentification
June 24, 2011 - Toronto - King Street
Linda Woods Reports:

Kenya is still at large and has not been seen. Today, I saw a juvenile on a 10th floor roof area next to the nest building. This area being low in comparison to the nest building next door. It was there all day. It took flight at dinner time and flew east between buildings, low, but made it up to the corner of # 1 Toronto St. I made my way up to a higher elevation to ID this juvenile and it turns out to be Sukura, not our missing male, Kenya.

We are all keeping a look out for the little guy.

[Donna]

Peregrine falcon rescued yet again

Cars and trucks slammed on their brakes to avoid running over Lady Gaga on University Avenue in Windsor Thursday.

The fledgling peregrine falcon flew low into traffic twice Thursday and had to be rescued for a second time.

"She's worse than a two year old," said local falcon watch volunteer Collette Denkers who tried to guide the fledgling to safety without touching it. "It's so scary when they go at cars. She almost got hit."

Denkers, 33, had only been on falcon watch underneath the Ambassador Bridge for about a half-hour when Lady Gaga tried to fly off a roof and smacked into the side of a building. Then the fledgling, which was flying about three feet off the ground, headed into traffic. Denkers had the fledgling towards the sidewalk when it took off again on to University Avenue West. Drivers were good about stopping for what's considered a threatened species.

"A big tanker truck was coming down at us and slammed on the brakes for us."

Lady Gaga, one of two peregrine falcon chicks that hatched this spring, made her first flight Wednesday off the nest that is about 80 to 90 feet up on one of the bridge pillars.

But it was hot and the fledgling couldn't get any altitude.

"Down on the ground they're absolutely helpless," Canadian Peregrine Foundation-Windsor Watch site co-ordinator Dennis Patrick said.

So Patrick waited until it was almost dark Wednesday night and put one of Windsor's star peregrine falcons on top of a nearby apartment building where she pleased the crowd by perching on the peak of the roof. She was still there Thursday morning.

"The parents were there immediately this morning bringing her little bits of food," Patrick said.

Peregrine falcon parents won't feed their young on the ground, he said.

After Thursday's trips into traffic, Patrick had to rescue her again so she could be placed somewhere higher and safer for the night. Patrick said she's big and healthy and the flying thing should kick in.

Her brother Spitfire hadn't taken flight by Thursday afternoon. Patrick said it is flapping its wings and running back and forth on the nest ledge.

"The parents are really flying in and teasing with food and trying to lure him off the ledge as well."

The parents, who have had nests with chicks for three years now under the bridge, slow down on feeding the young falcons so they will leave the nest.

Windsor Star.

[Bobbie Ireland]

Oh my goodness! Gaga is right!
 

[jeanne]

I think I stopped breathing when I read about the tanker driver slamming on his brakes

[Donna]

I think I stopped breathing when I read about the tanker driver slamming on his brakes

I pictured it too!! Oh MY!!!

[MAK]

  Holy flying fledgling falcon! Mom should have told this little one not to play in traffic! 

[Dumpsterkitty]

Holy flying fledgling falcon! Mom should have told this little one not to play in traffic! 

Reminds me of Susan B...this link is to Lou's album from July 7 2008...pictures 17-24...

http://tinyurl.com/5uwab36

[MAK]

Holy flying fledgling falcon! Mom should have told this little one not to play in traffic! 

Reminds me of Susan B...this link is to Lou's album from July 7 2008...pictures 17-24...

http://tinyurl.com/5uwab36

   Sure wish I hadn't been a lurker that my first year. Would love to have seen those last 5 offspring of M&K flying through the gorge! 

[Kris G.]

Holy flying fledgling falcon! Mom should have told this little one not to play in traffic! 

Reminds me of Susan B...this link is to Lou's album from July 7 2008...pictures 17-24...

http://tinyurl.com/5uwab36

   Sure wish I hadn't been a lurker that my first year. Would love to have seen those last 5 offspring of M&K flying through the gorge! 

They were awesome to watch flying in the gorge!